Frozen Over
by Karin Serendipity
Summary: Winter was their month after all. ShikaTema. One-shot.


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Frozen Over

_I miss the smell of the winter, the snow, the-_

_I just wanted to make sure you are fine, are you-_

_God, I loved you so much, now you are-_

_Did I deserve anything that you did to me?_

_I miss you, holding our child, in the blanket of snow._

_I miss the smell of the hot chocolate, that you made._

_I miss the sound of you cooing over the baby, I miss the baby cooing back._

_If I could take back anything, I would take you back, do you know that?_

_Will this letter get to you or will your new husband or your brothers rip it or hide it? Or will you tell them too?_

_Mari, I miss you- Shikata, misses you. Remember? Your little girl?_

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I held my hand out and received the letter that would ruin me. The brown fur coat I was wearing covered most of me but my cheeks still would get frost bitten and my hands would freeze. I took the letter into the house and scanned over it, the only thing capturing my interest was- _Remember? Your little girl?_ Of course I remembered my little girl, although he would never even know his little boy. He was sitting in the chair closest to the fireplace warming his hands, well, he was before I walked the mile down the street to get the mail, now he was sleeping.

I chuckled into my hand and then threw the letter into the fire, the embers snatched it up quickly and soon it was gone. I sighed and sat down the hood of my coat unveiling my blonde locks of hair and my sad, sad teal eyes. I brushed my bangs out of my eyes and then turned to the fire looking into it I saw our memories and I had to look away. I got up slowly and hung the coat on the first coat rack and then I walked into the kitchen and there stood my husband looking as tall and brusque as ever. He tried to stoop lower to kiss me but I narrowly dodged him and then went to the sink. I felt his gaze and I wanted to take something to his head. He finally left but then a few seconds later came back.

"Our child, Ren, he isn't mine, well, ours." He started and I knew that there was shock on my face, he had it figured out. "Have you been cheating?" He asked trying to keep his cool. I turned around slowly brushing my hair from my eyes. "He has spiky brown hair and he is incredibly lazy…" He said and I sighed.

"So, he has some attributes from Uncle Kankuro? Big deal, he has your nose and jaw line." I told him quickly. Our twelve year old boy, Shikamaru and mine, wouldn't be questioned, I wouldn't allow this man to do that. "You are not to go around and tell him horrible things about me. I have not cheated and he is a handsome young boy that got his looks from my brother." I said firmly. Ren stirred but didn't wake, _just like Shikamaru._ I smiled softly to myself.

"Temari, you know that he isn't mine, I mean, we sleep in different beds!" He exclaimed and I sighed. "I know that we had our special, romantic nights, but do you think that that is enough to have a kid?" He asked and I looked appalled.

"It only takes one try!" I exclaimed walking away, a glass of water in hand. He didn't follow me out in the living room but stayed in there. While drinking I had made a decision. I got up and shook Ren awake and put my glass in the sink. "I'm going to the Leaf Village to visit some old friends." I said and moved past him. He sat at the table just staring at me. "I'm taking Ren." I told him and slipped my coat on and Ren followed suit. He hugged his 'father' and then Matgo walked up to me and I hugged him. "Bye, take good care of yourself." I said to him and began to walk outside with Ren close behind me.

"This is so troublesome." Ren muttered as we trudged through the forest. I froze and he bumped into me. "What?" He asked startled. I couldn't believe my ears, he just said 'troublesome' like his father.

"Nothing." I muttered and resumed walking. He shrugged and followed. After some 'troublesome' hours we stopped and pitched a tent for the night. "We have to sleep and regain our strength." I told him. He nodded his brown hair falling out of his ponytail, if you looked at it closely his hair wasn't exactly all brown it had my color in it too. My little girl had had my blonde hair when she was little. What color was it now?

I soon fell into a sleep dreaming about my daughter. _"Mom?" Shikata asked as she ran over to me, 14 now. I smiled softly at her and pushed Ren closer. "Oh my God, it's really you." She squealed and Shikamaru smiled at me. I returned his smile and walked towards my daughter and embracing her. I then moved to Shikamaru and wrapped my arms around his neck and inhaled his scent deeply. Ren cleared his throat and I turned to him now holding hands with Shikamaru._

"_This is Ren, Ren, this is your father-Shikamaru." I said a little shyly. He stood there uncomfortably and then Shikamaru extended his hand, "This is sort of a pain." Shikamaru muttered and Ren shook his head. I stared at them and I teared up. My son wouldn't live everyday wondering about his father, he met him and they seemed to get along great. Shikata stood there and watched this unfold. She had my hair and it sparkled in the sun, she was smiling, like me._

"Mom?" I heard a male voice say. I was being shaken and I suddenly sat up and looked around. Everything was perfectly fine and I sighed and smiled wearily at my little boy. "Can we go? This is troublesome enough." He said and I chuckled getting out of the tent and packing it away. We began to walk again and after a while he asked, "Why are we going to Konoha all of a sudden?" I froze for a second and then kept walking.

"Because I want you to met some people." I said and those were the last words spoken until we reached Konoha. Konoha had grown bigger since the last time I had been here and now it was huge. We stood at the gates as they checked my bag and then our Ids. We walked past them and into the village. I walked past the new buildings and then called a carriage and we got in. "This will be great." I whispered and Ren yawned but interest shown in his eyes.

All of a sudden we got flagged down and the door of the carriage burst open. "Temari! How dare you come and not tell me!" Tenten screeched, how I recognized her I do not know. "Neji, we are taking this carriage!" She said and hitched up her white dress and sat down across from us. Neji got in with his tuxedo and I looked at them oddly. "Neji and I got hitched?" She tried. I pushed her playfully.

"You guys got married without telling practically anyone didn't you?!" I exclaimed and Ren rolled his eyes. "Hiashi will be upset." I told Neji. He smiled at me.

"Hiashi was one of the few people there." He said and I laughed. "Must've been hell for him." Tenten laughed with me. Ren looked at me pleadingly.

"Ren must think that you are a psycho… Ren this is Tenten, um, Hyuuga and Neji Hyuuga." I introduced and they shook his hand. "This is Ren, my son." I said and then glared at Tenten to keep her mouth shut. "Have you seen Shikamaru?" I asked.

"Lives in the same old place," Neji said to me and then took Tenten's hand slowly, a simple caring gesture that made you go 'aww.' "Although he took over the Nara Clan, both his parents died about a year ago." He added and then Tenten turned away from him and looked at me. I covered my mouth with my hand and gasped.

"It was for the best, they suffered for two years, spinal meningitis." Tenten explained and I felt sad instantly. They would've suffered horribly their pain would've been drastic and overbearing. "Neji-kun…" Tenten whispered softly and Neji stopped the carriage and they waved to me. "Go two more blocks." Tenten instructed and disappeared.

"Mom? What's spinal meningitis?" Ren asked and I looked at him, "It's a disease, there's neck stiffness and you are in a lot of pain… It's unbearable and death is a wish." I tried to explain it further but I really didn't know that much about it. "Just, keep it quiet." I told him as the carriage stopped. We got out and then walked up to the front door of the Nara Clan house.

"Who in the world-" A girl with long brown hair answered, and then froze. "May I help you?" She asked her eyes big. "Daddy!" She called quickly and ran inside, murmuring something about not knowing who the people outside were at all. I heard Shikamaru get up slowly and I heard his painfully slow footsteps across the floor. The girl had her father's hair but them eyes were unmistakably hers. Shikamaru stood at the door, "Temari?"

"Shikamaru!" I gasped hugging him hard, not wanting to let go. Kankuro had married me off behind Gaara's back to someone I didn't love so my feelings for Shikamaru still ran through my veins. He spun me around and placed me on my feet once again. "Oh my God." I gasped hugging Shikata next she willingly ran up to me and hugged me first. Ren stood there uncomfortably I turned towards him and then announced. "Ren, this is your real father." I said and Ren's face was one of pure shock. I smiled at both of them and Shikamaru looked at me quickly and then hugged me again. I stood on my tiptoes and whispered, "I still love you." He looked surprised and I walked into his house with no comment from him.

"Mommy." Shikata said softly and smiled at me. "You're so pretty." She gasped touching the edge of my coat and then my face. I smiled at her and then kissed her hand.

"I'm nothing special actually." I said, "You are the beautiful one." I told her and sat down. Shikamaru sat next to me and grabbed my hand. "Ren, are you mad?" I asked him. He sat by Shikata looking as fierce as me when I want someone to do something for me and nobody will.

"So, you're a lie?" He asked sharply and I sat there. I didn't even flinch. "No, Uncle Kankuro married me against my will-I'm only fighting it. I'm only going with my heart." I told him and he snorted this time I did flinch.

"So, you've been cheating." He accused and I gasped.

"I haven't even been in this village for 13 years." I growled at him and he flinched. "I haven't been cheating-I've been hurting." I said softer this time and I looked up into Shikamaru's eyes. Shikata looked at Ren and he smiled apologetically at her then she yawned.

"I'm sorry, mom." Ren whispered and hugged me and for the heck of it Shikata joined the hug. We were together and whole. A true family. A family that was meant to be together. I felt tears fall down my face and I laughed when I saw that everyone was tearing up or crying.

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_I miss the smell of the fall, the leaves, the-_

_I just wanted to check up on you, how are you-_

_God, I love you so much, do you-_

_Did I deserve this, what you did?_

_I miss you, smiling at me, in the blanket of fallen leaves._

_I miss the smell of the forest, that you had on you._

_I miss the sound of you humming, and the baby repeating you._

_If I could have anything, it would be you, do you know that?_

_Will this letter get to you? Will you still care? I sure hope you do, I have faith in you._

_Shika, I miss you, so much. So does Ren. We won't make it down for awhile, Kankuro found out and-you probably know the rest._

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**Tell me how horrible this was, I haven't really written a one-shot of Shikamaru and Temari for some time... I hope it wasn't THAT bad- I accpet flames, constructive critism, cookies, and whatever else you want to throw at me. Hope you enjoy and please Review. I'm not getting better unless I am told what I'm doing wrong.**

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